2016 Nissan Maxima: A Luxury Sedan Without the Luxury Price Tag

If you haven’t heard Nissan just released the all-new, totally redesigned 2016 Maxima. With a bold exterior and premium interior, the new Maxima is certainly a thing of beauty.

We received our first batch of the Maxima’s last week, and I was as giddy as a kid on Christmas. But after spending ample time getting to know the new Maxima inside and out, I got to thinking…

The 2016 Nissan Maxima has arrived at LaFontaine Nissan

Infiniti is the luxury brand for Nissan, so for the longest time whenever people have been looking for high-end, top-quality vehicles, Infiniti has been one of the names that gets brought up; and rightly so! From the Q40 to the QX80, there is nothing but luxury and style pulsing from these cars.

But let me ask you a question.

If you could get that same level of quality, comfort and technology from a brand like Nissan, would you still opt for the more expensive Infiniti?

The 2016 Nissan Maxima is packed with technology you’d expect to find only in a luxury sedan

For years there has been a divide between top tier vehicles and the rest of the automotive world. Brands like BMW, Audi, Ferrari, Cadillac and the like have always been the highest echelon for cars, and the only names to consider when thinking of a quality ride. Fast forward to the present, and more and more people are toting their Ford Tauruses and Nissan Maximas to much praise and elation.

So, what’s the difference?

Look at the Infiniti QX80, for example. Because Infiniti is manufactured by Nissan, many aspects of the vehicle transfer over to its “mainstream” sister brand. The Advanced Drive Assist Display can be found in the Altima, Rogue, Maxima, Murano and more, the shifter and Infiniti Controller on the new Maxima, and even the stunningly beautiful touch-screen navigation on the new Murano and Maxima.

In terms of features, there is a very minimal difference between an Infiniti Q70 and the new Maxima; yet look at the price gap, and it’s very clear which is the Infiniti and which is the Nissan. But does it need to be this way?

MSRP comparison of the 2016 Nissan Maxima and the 2015 Infiniti Q70

What are your thoughts? Would you pay more for a vehicle, with virtually the exact same features and styling, just because it was a name brand like Infiniti or BMW? Songs like “Brand New Cadillac” are just an example of what these legendary manufacturers have done with their reputation over the years, but what if you could get that Cadillac feel in a Buick? Or a Nissan?